Rule 591-1-1-.25 - Physical Plant(1) Ceilings. Ceilings shall be at least seven (7) feet in height.(2) Changing Areas. For evening and night-time care, separate changing areas shall be provided for children of the opposite sex eight (8) years of age and older.(3) Cleanliness. The Center and surrounding premises shall be kept clean, free of debris and in good repair. Hygienic measures such as, but not limited to, screened windows and proper waste disposal procedures shall be utilized to minimize the presence of rodents, flies, roaches and other vermin at the Center.(4) Climate Control. A Center shall be maintained at a temperature range of sixty-five (65) degrees Fahrenheit to eighty-five (85) degrees Fahrenheit depending upon the season and ventilated either by mechanical or natural means to provide fresh air and control unpleasant odors. Facilities which do not have a functioning central heating and air conditioning system shall make fifty percent (50%) of all required windows operable for ventilation. Any openings used for ventilation shall be screened.(5) Construction and Renovation. A person planning the construction of a new Center or planning any structural changes to an existing Center shall obtain approval from the Department, local zoning authorities, fire safety agencies and local building authorities. Construction and maintenance work shall take place only in areas that are not accessible to the children.(6) Cubbies - Individual Storage Space. Each child's personal items shall be kept in individually labeled cubbies, lockers or racks separated from articles used by other children. The spaces shall be accessible to the children to whom they are assigned.(7) Doors and Locks. Doors to rooms not approved for child care, other than the kitchen doors, shall be latched or locked so children cannot wander into those areas. Except in School-age Centers, interior Center door locks shall permit Personnel to open the locked room from outside of the room in an emergency.(8) Electrical Outlets. Except in School-age Centers, all unused electrical outlets within reach of children shall have protective caps specifically designed to prohibit children from placing anything in the receptacle. Electrical outlets in use which the children can reach shall be made inaccessible to the children.(9) Exclusion from Premises. The Center shall not allow any person to remain on the Center premises if the person does not have a legitimate reason for being on the premises.(10) Fire Safety. A Center must be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations issued by the state fire marshal, the proper local fire marshal or state inspector, including a certificate of occupancy if required prior to receiving any children for care.(11) Flooring. Floor coverings shall be tight, smooth, free of odors and washable or cleanable.(12) Heating and Cooling Equipment. Heating and cooling equipment shall be protected to prevent children from touching it. Fans, space heaters, etc. shall be positioned or installed so as to be inaccessible to the children.(13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.(14) Lighting. A Center shall be lighted with a minimum of twenty-five (25) foot candles of illumination except during scheduled nap or rest periods. Areas used for napping shall be lit dimly. A Center shall provide outside lighting at entrances and exits used by children when the Center provides evening or night-time care.(15) Outside Storage Area. Any outside storage or equipment area shall be locked, separated from the children by a barrier or enclosure, and shall not be accessible to the children.(16) Parking. Sufficient parking areas shall be provided to permit safe discharge and pick up of children.(17) Plants and Shrubs. The Center premises shall be free of plants and shrubs which are poisonous or hazardous.(18) Telephone. An operable telephone shall be readily available in the Center and the following emergency telephone numbers must be posted in a conspicuous place next to the telephone: physician or hospital; county health department; regional poison control Center; all emergency numbers or numbers of local ambulance service, fire and police departments.(19) Unapproved Areas. The following areas shall not be used as activity areas for the children: basement area in excess of twenty-five linear feet from a window; rooms with floor levels lower than three (3) feet or more below ground level on all sides; and any area unapproved for use by authorities having jurisdiction.(20) Water and Sewage. All water sources, if other than an approved city or county system, shall be approved by the proper authority having jurisdiction. All sewage disposal systems, if other than an approved city or county system, shall be approved by the local county health department and specify the number of persons the system is approved to serve.(21) Windows. All floor level windows or full-length glass doors shall be constructed of safety glass with decals applied at the eye level of the children or such windows or doors shall have protective devices covering the glass designed to prevent the children from getting cut by the glass should it break for any reason. Except in School-age Centers, child care rooms shall have outside windows which receive natural sunlight and equal not less than five percent (5%) of the floor area in each room, unless central heating and air conditioning are provided.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 591-1-1-.25
O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-1 et seq.
Original Rule entitled "Physical Plant" adopted. F. Dec. 23, 1997; eff. Mar. 1, 1998, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Jan. 12, 2005; eff. Feb. 1, 2005.Amended: F. Dec. 4, 2015; eff. Dec. 24, 2015.Amended: F. May 26, 2017; eff. June 15, 2017.